‘Increase in HPO funding not enough’

The CNMI Historic Preservation Office received a 1.09-percent increase in its federal allotment for fiscal year 2005, but director Epiphanio Cabrera said the $387,718 earmarked for the agency is still not enough.

Cabrera said the CNMI HPO has lined up a number of projects that could easily eat away at the appropriated money that would be given it by the National Park Service.

He said the funding would go to historic preservation activities, the program areas-survey, inventory, national register, archaeology, public education, outreach, and administration. Part of the budget will also used for employee compensation.

The HPO director said he learned of how much the CNMI was receiving after attending a conference in Washington, D.C. Cabrera also noted that the budget CNMI HPO would be getting is far higher than what its counterparts on Guam and other Micronesian states are getting, albeit still lower than Hawaii’s.

He said the total appropriation for all historic preservation offices in FY 2005 is $34,568,734, which is a 2.62-percent increase from last year’s budget.

This funding is received by all states, territories, and Freely Associated States of Micronesia, and is monitored by the NPS under the Department of the Interior.

Cabrera said the increase in the general funding of historic preservation reflects the success of the program in meeting its requirements and generating tangible products for the community.

More good news, however, would not be forthcoming in the next few years, according Cabrera. He said he has the impression that Congress would be scrimping on HPO’s budget in future years.

“Major cuts will be forthcoming. We are fortunate that President Bush kept the same funding level in his submission for FY 2006 as FY 2005 for the Historic Preservation fund,” he said referring to other social programs, which were eliminated or did receive drastic cuts in the budget.

Cabrera said CNMI HPO would be announcing the availability of these funds for community projects relating to historic preservation. He said he strongly encourages the community to be more involved and to participate in the preservation and protection of the cultural and archaeological resources of the CNMI.

The HPO director also said that Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Juan L. Babauta recently lauded his performance and the entire HPO staff for their commendable performance throughout the year.

Babauta was especially delighted with the success of the Micronesian Endowment for Historic Preservation Conference held last month, and the CNMI HPO’s involvement with the American Memorial Park Visitor’s Center, and for acquiring a higher federal funding level in the past three years.